The Mountain View A Phoenix Rising

Written by staff writer

Friday, 02 March 2007

Mountain View Grand Resort Like the phoenix, the 4 diamond-rated Mountain View Grand has recently risen again to take its place as one of the truly magnificent establishments of the White Mountains.  For 110 years the hotel had been pre-eminent among resorts, known for its breathtaking location, ample meals, recreation and entertainment, and responsiveness to guests’ needs.  The “Grand Lady” earned a reputation for consistently fine accommodations, due in large part by 4 generations of the Dodge family from its accidental beginnings in 1869 to its sale in 1979.       Subsequent owners were unable to make a “go” of the Mountain View, and for 14 years in the late ‘80s and most of the ‘90s, the hotel lay dormant.  A new era arrived in 1998 when Kevin Craffey, a young businessman from Massachusetts, spotted the hotel while looking for a vacation home for his family.  He bought the property for $1.3 million and invested an additional $20 million into renovations.  These reputedly included removing 937 windows and re-glazing 5622 panes of glass; restoring and repainting 78 miles of 135 year-old exterior cedar clapboards, and removing and replacing nearly 38 miles of antique systems with up-to-date electrical, plumbing and ventilation systems. Workers scraped to remove 7 layers of wallpaper equal in area to 62 football fields.  In 2002 Craffey and his team unveiled a magnificently rejuvenated grand resort. Luxury Spa      At the time of the opening, upgrades included an indoor pool and European-style spa and development has continued since Great American Financial bought the property in 2005.  In 2006, the Mountain View Grand opened a state-of-the-art Techno Gym, a luxury private film screening room, and an off-road driving course. Future development will see an outdoor amphitheater, a polo field, a world-class golf course, a falconry range, and up-to-the-minute technology enhancements for business meetings and retreats.        Wanting to do more than simply bring new life to a building and a business, the Mountain View collaborated with the local public school vocational center to introduce “The Academy at Mountain View” in 2004.  The program allows enrolled high school students to combine classroom training with meaningful onsite experience.  Students shadow managers in various departments of the resort, exploring numerous possibilities for future career choices.  Participants are encouraged to continue their training by the newly-conceived scholarship program:  winning students will receive a total of $8000 over the course of 4 years when they study for a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a hospitality-related program within New Hampshire.      Five years since its gala reopening, the Mountain View continues to energize an area and offer guests a revitalizing menu of relaxation, recreation and retreat in the center of idyllic natural grandeur.  603.837.2100 www.mountainviewgrand.com Articles by this Author: Learning About Weather Relaxing with Bowser Pets Do the Shopping Meeting Needs Through NEADS Inn Decadence View all articles by this author

Last Updated ( Thursday, 15 March 2007 )

 

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